Research on the Mechanisms and Countermeasures for Digital Trade to Promote the Upgrading of China's Manufacturing Industry

Abstract

This paper constructs indicators for manufacturing upgrading and digital trade development using provincial-level panel data from China. It empirically analyses the impact and underlying mechanisms of digital trade on manufacturing upgrading. Findings reveal that the level of digital trade development exerts a significant and robust positive influence on manufacturing upgrading. Mechanism analysis indicates that technological innovation plays a mediating role in digital trade's promotion of manufacturing upgrading, albeit with short-term conversion lags. Based on these results, this paper proposes policy recommendations: enhancing digital trade infrastructure, improving technological innovation conversion efficiency, and strengthening industrial collaboration and talent cultivation. These aim to elucidate pathways for digital trade to foster high-quality manufacturing development, providing theoretical foundations and empirical references for policymakers and industry practitioners.